Construction and arrangement of aeroplane wings



May14,1935- J. MARTIN CONSTRUCTION AND ARRANGEMENT OF AEROPLANE WINGS Filed July 15, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 luvs/vrae dine: M14277,

May 14, 1935. QMA TIN 2,001,260

CONSTRUCTION AND ARRANGEMENT OF AEROPLANE WINGS Filed July l5, 1953 5 Sheet-Sheec 2 May 14, 1935.

J. MARTIN CONSTRUCTION AND ARRANGEMENT OF AEROPLANE WINGS Filed July 15, 1.955

S SheetS-Sheet 5 Patented May i I I CONSTRUCTIONZAND ARRANGEMENTIOF 7 AER PL E'WING f h Jameslyl arting llig her nennamnnglanaf Application July 1 1933, Serial Nou 680g 54l l GreatBritain-Jl ll yfl20, 1932 i Claims. (01. 24

This invention comprises improvements in and appended hereto threesheetsof drawings illusconnected with the construction and arrangement tratingembodiments thereof-and whereinz a of aeroplane'wings of the kind which each I mF'ig -l is broken perspective view showing the .Wing is provided with a main sparcomposed of? triangular. section g spart'securedlto;and carried three longitudinal main; members arrangedtrian throughthe fuselageframe' to provide an arrange- 5 gular section, and it has for its object to provide" 'ment in which the spar allows for space for-ac a construction and arrangement of aeroplane commodation of a pilot or passenger. wing which will be both light and strongzand Fig. 2 is a detail side elevation view showing capable of readily standing all the .stresses to how such space is made use of; I I p which it may be subjected. I A further object is to .Fig. 3' is adetail plan view showinga suitable provide a simple method bywhichthe wings or method'of. locking-the vouterioldablesection of a suitable'portions of them may beflfolded back so -wing spar in positionfor flights: 1 p c I as to occupya minimum of space and withoutin .-Fig. 4 is a sectional sideelevation-view showing anyway iouling-orinterferingwith the tail plane a suitable form'of locking. device for obtaining or other parts ofthe machine. Astill further oban easy positive lockingi'of the innerJand outer ject is to providejcan improvedarrangement of sections andan easy unlocking action. 1

struts and stays for the-three main longitudinal Fig. '5 is a detail sectional end elevation view members of each wing with improvedmeansfor of the spar showing thepreferredform'of strut detachably securing such struts and stays to -the ting. y Y Y longitudinal members. The invention may. also Fig. 6-i-s a diagrammatic" side elevation view be arranged; to enable the wing spar, to pass showing how the spar is 'related to the fuselage completely through or across the fuselage or body andwings in a monoplane,

of-the aeroplane without interfering withthe Fig-7 is a diagram atic side elevation view" accommodations forthe passengers or pilot. 7 showing how the angle of incidence of the wing In carrying oneembodiment of the invention may be adjusted relatively tothe fuselaga ;@225 into practice I employ a cantilever-type of single- Figs. 8, 9 andlO-are diagrammatic front eleva spar wing in'which a single lattice girder spar tion views showing difierentarrangements of the of substantially triangular section is'arranged in stub or central section of apair'of wings,

eachwing The triangular-lattice girder sparexa-Figs.;11, 12 and 13 are diagr rmn ticivi ws tends along thelength of the wing and arshowing suitable arrangement of the struts and 3 ranged at or near the centre of, pressure of-th'e1 stays on the three races -of the triangular'spar, wing throughoutits length, The triangular lat- Referring tov the drawings the embodiments tice girder is constructedof 1a series-of longitushown-,areof a main spar in .the form of what dinal members connected together by suitable I term a triangular-section latticegirder which struts'andi stays across its three faces and. the preferablyjcqmpr th ee Steel b l olongir strength and disposition of thelongitudinal mem tudinal members 2 and: 3-di;spo 'sed at thethree bers' and the struts and stays forming thetriancorners of the trianglei t d g, l l y gular lattice girder are such as to effectively-stand from the fuselage or body of v the aeroplane the up to the loadsand stresses throughout the whole frame of which is indicated generally by the length'of the spar. The size or thickness of the reference numeral 4. These tubular longitudinal 4 longitudinal members may vary, being preferably members], Land .3 of.=-the,spar are preferably reduced toward the outer ends of the spar and solid drawncircular steel tubes or; the desired I the members may themselves converge toward sizeand strength. Wherefit is necessary to join the wing tip so that the effective dimensions of the tubesQ-the ends maylbebutted together and the triangular lattice girder spartapers-fromthe connectionjmade by means of an internalorexroot tothe wing-tip; The strutsare arranged; in ternal sleeve or both, the partsbeing suitably see such a manner that they form a series of sub-= cured together in any convenient'manner or in stantially closed triangles round the three.-- faces;accordance with the manner described in my 1 of the spars with theends of the strutssubstanprior Patent No."-l,867,226..., The disposition of tially normal to the longitudinal members. Thethelongitudinalmembers-of the triangular spar stays are disposed diagonally across the struts,zthe arei preferablysuch that thef spar is. located at or stays ateach face of thesparbeingsubstannear the centre of pressuredof the .wingsection j tially parallel to each other Y f as shown in Fig. 6 which also u-sually corresponds In order that my invention may be clearly substantiallywith thegreatest depth of the wing. derstood and readily carried into efiect I have The longitudinal{members are preferably are 7 ing ,a "substantiallyiv closed Qtiiifig le three races or the spar. v- Ea' ch series a gituqma ,imem rsi a t t r r itiamping mans rire'f ffi10,13 sulistantiallyini the, mannerde'scribed" hereafter {35 stays s -prereramy cor'n'prisesuitableisolidljidrawn of strutsy the direetionof th 1 v each'faceof'tliesfiarhein "substantiallyf iarallel.

. to ei'ichf'other.} aen me spar" may thus' v comprisetwo}longitudinal rnembers for example -lyand 2 connectedfito'gethergat iintervalslay a 7 series of struts} arranged o thattheir ends-are substantially"- normal to *thf longitudinal: -mem-' hers and connected together by diagonal stays:

bers of fines-triangular spar are connected; to-

gether. oneach of the three' faces of the spar by a suitableisystem .of struts and stays in form of-(tubular steel struts or stays as shown" in Fig. 1, thearrangementeomprising it I I of struts; iarranged at'intervals along thelengm of the spar so thatthey arearranged in a ;;seriesf: I of three struts 5a,; 5b and'15c (see 5) ;1or1'n 1 tend from the corners of a each :seriesi f struts.to 'tl'ie nearesti 'series The struts 5 and I tubes ofsteelioi other-suitahlemateriahwshown staysare preferably formed tdfdefliiite pre 'arranged lengths and may be-'--suitably humbered orifrlnarltfd fdenot'e 5 their %psi-tion' the "spar;

Thesaid eyeslwhichjreceive the studs 8 re pref erahly drilled'insuitable jigs so as to nsure accu,'

racy within; finefliniitsthufs enalofl1ng*raiiiclas-A 2 1 d i r e a ei utfor stayL"'.'I'lie struts T qr'f ujhu er'insr r a the-longitudijnal'rn m b satthemositio where v t ringyo steel" r'othe .su able material adapted? flattening tn ens to rcrmxthe ey semhly andalsojpermit v j and replacementof an' *160' s V no rr'larmembers; I land bymeans-oi'sheet metel 1 in'}Figs 1 arra s the endsor whichare'flattened outaslatglandjrein'fdrjeed to provideeyeshaving. v

; holes. drilled or otherwise formed thereintoiflt" accurately over a suitable ser'ew threaded stud 8."? The eyes are preferably formed in the endbf 'the in tubular struts and stays hy'finserting tubular liner in; the"endsanagsubseeunu pr sing and staysare clampedt the longitud t h l 't isfe vs fi elt the iihb "E8611 such metalj-in'sert comprise arin ior part p'q fitjlclosely fwithin theher ojf thel lon gitudin' 1 ,ichx txisplac j d r he conical H such-f struts} are separated 'fromge'ach-other gn-1n ahle distance forming baysf 1 across :which a; series or diagonal stays '6 e agonal staysi at and, 3 by suitable .Theo en .endspf {the flattened {eye and "prejerably a" surmean alongth'eedg thereerfare welded-together s erbet 'the' tube and the'reinforbingj insert are positively connected"togetheriso a'sfto frriake the a total'fstiengthofthe eye Mtef theforinatidnfl of 1 one or more-'- angular lattioel girder as sho n t I enables the over-ell {height ofjthe cockpit or.

vrea r of the seat oriseatsi iliihtoffi secured to their inner face; "The longitudinal desired positions] and the screw-threaded studs or set-screws are passedlthrough these holes gandscrewed into t the nuts onthe metal inserts so astoybeflrmly held therein. Each studis providedwith a plain portion'or shank over which isplaced a saddle washer n v curvedor otherwise shaped on it'sinner face toeorres'pond with the outer face of the tubular longitudinal member tubular members ofthe spar are drilled at the 1 of; the spar. Over each stu'dis then placed the re cmmped m position bymeans of a suitable nut l3scr'ewed onto the outer'end of the studgf The plaintshank 'of the stud is prefeyeof a strut 5 and also over some'a stay 6 and erably f such'a length asto provide a plain f'bearing' surfacefor the hole in the eyes of both the strut andfthe stay but the s'crew thread on the end or, theustud extends slightly into the outer 'stayso as to ensure that the clarnping nut may be drawn uptight} @If desired the clamping :niit mayibeslightly recessed on its; inner facefor this purposeJThenut may becastellate'd so as to enable it to be-locked inposition by' means of a sput'pin' or wire passed through a perforation fthestudand'through the recesses" 'in the end of the nut. othersuitable leans-maybe employed'for loclg i-ngithe nut on, the studg fl- I 'B'Ifhe 'trian'gular'lattice; girder forming the spar "of the m jna i ie anchored tbsiiitahle rtsor the fuselage on-to; the body org frame 'ofvthe aero; planeor to ;thefends of a stub}. sectio'nwil ofwing built'i into the -fuselage 4. .E'In thelatter casefthe stub' 'section of wing may beprovidedi with a section of triangular lattice girder corresbonding tothe spar-and'the longitudinalsfla m and 3d I of-fwh'ich inay eiitend 'lrighit through the fuselage as shown;v in EigI; 'I 'he longitudinal members of the-fuselage or -frame' and the centre section of the-lattice girder whereitextends across the fuselage may have s'o'm'eor all of j the diagonal ma be anchored or secured to suitable portions 40 staysomltted -as indicated a't ISIi'nFig'gI' or so in interior of the uselage? 13y this means .1 :the seats 7| 6 f for passengers or ctuallly-" located within the tri-' pilot's or. passengers- ,c'om'partment to "be kept roqm en also it enables a pilot pas enger in 95 PQQ V within the-stub section'ldi When itjfis 'desired to arrange the"Wing s tov foldback" aloii'gf the side' of'the fus'ela gefthe triangular lattice girder' spar may be-made tohinge arrangedthat 'theywill not cause a'n obstruction f 'downto a minimumwhilstafiording ample head at 'the' end 'sfofjtwo r its longitudinal mernbers;

r -qr thispu'moSe the spar may-be hifi'ged to" the [end of a. shortstubsection M 'of'wing' -'having a triangular lattice l girder spar jc rresponamg to the lattice gi rderz' sp'arTin "the folding" section of eachfwin'gi Theftwo reanlongitudinalmembers *2 and a .and za' and'i3a both of the spar'and the lattioe girder ihFthei stub section are provided wit suitable filugs" "[1 fixed 'intotheir ends' and these plugs'are arranged with interlockingtongue' -tiiiely-thlbrighwhich a ga- 1 ablepivot pin 20 is "passed n'dffthe pivot pin of-ithe'j tongue and forked inernbers; in'-the upper andlower longi tudinal members-arearrangeddn lifiQLWith each other so as to form-'acornmon'axis aboutw'hich direction s that when'the folding" section time Wing'is tuihedr0uhdabout' this axis the wingtip will clean the tail=plane or any stays 'orstr'uts connected thereto; The forward longitudinal members I and la in the wing spar and thefstub' section'ar'e' provided one'with a tapered or conical"plug 2'! preferably flx'ed in theends-"of the member! as'shown in Fig. 3 and the other with a correspondinglyshaped" socket 22 adapted to fit closely one into gthe other member la when the folding Wing" is opened out to the flying po- 7 sition. suitable 'locking-boltf or any other 'de'--] 7 sired safety lo'cKing deV-ice ispr'ovided to enable the ends of the two portions of'the forward longitudinalmember 'tof'be positively and def nitely secured together. One method 'may consist in passing a suitable-taperedpin+23 which-maybe position, the taper pin beingattachedto some fixedpart by means=of ashort chain' or other flexible connection to prevent it from becoming lost." fI-Iowever it ispreferredtdadoptgth locklug device shown in Fig.4 in whieh the pin 23 is threaded as at 25 intermediate its ends in a sleeve 26'e'xtending integrally from the socket'flz bra collar 21 flxed'to the tube I. Thepin 23 is.-ad-

vanced through theaperture 2*} or retracted therefrom by rotating it preferably by-means of .a handle 28 permanently connected in substantially'axial alignment to the pin 23 by a universal coupling 29. handle'28 rotates in a bearing 30 in theouter end of a tubular 'c'as-,

ing-SI fixed at its inner end'to the-sleeve 25, and a collar 32 on the 'handle limits the axial travel of the pin 23 outwards; whilsta flange 33 limits its movement inwards. The sleeve 25 can be of gunmetal orbrass andthe'c'asing' 3! of a cheaper and lighter metaL the frontend of the casing 31 being supported in the front edge of the wing; i s

7 If desired the wingspar may be mounted adjustably so as to enable the angle of incidence of the wing'tobealtered at will. For this purpose the triangular lattice girder of the stub 7 section or wing spar may be mounted in suitable supports on the fuselage or frame of the aero-' lower or upper of the rearward longitudinal members 2 and 3 of the triangular lattice girder spar whilst the angular adjustment should be effected by adjustably anchoring the forward longitudinal member I in Fig. 7 the wing hinges on the lower rear memfected whilst the aeroplane is in flight thus en-- abling the angle of incidence of the wing to be" ber'3, and the third longitudinal member I may pass through slotted plates or brackets the slot being of an arcuate form the centre ofwhich corresponds with the axis of the tubular member 3 about whichthe triangular lattice girder Q hinges. The adjustment may be efiected by suitable screw or other means adapted to raise or lower the ,forward longitudinal member of the.

triangular lattice girder. Suitable locking means "maybe provided to secure the lattice girder in any adjusted position. If desired means may be provided to enable the adjustment tolbe efadjusted to the conditions of flight, so that the wing may be set at a greater angle" of inci-fi For example as shown dence when taking off fir-landing and to a lesser angle of incidence whenin :normal flight or.

when flyin'g light;

Wherethewingsare'arranged to fold back" along'thes'ide of thefuselage itis desirable to arrange a'short length of thetrailing edge of the wing to fold up so as to permitjthe wing'to lie close alongside of the fuselage as shown in Fig. 6,

For thisp urpose' a sufiici'ent length of the trailing edge of the wing may be arranged to hinge iabout' the-upper rear longitudinal member of the thangularfspar'as' indicated by the reference Id."

When the wing is opened out into the flyingpos'ition this section of the trailingedgeis turned down into'its normalpositionj for flight andis tion of the trailingedge to thelower rear'lon gitudinal member of the 'ltriang'ular spar. 'One method may consist'in providing suitable inter" engaging'tongue and socket members adapted "to fit one in theother when the trailing edge-isin the flying position and providing'suitable spring or other catches to Tengageand lock them in position. For this-purpose suitable spring' 'bolts or latches may be employed at intervals along the length ,of the -foldable trailing edgeof the'wing and these'bolts or'latchesmay be interconnected 'by a rod-cableor other connecting means so that they" m'ay bedisengaged atone'ope'ration when it is desiredto-foldback the section of trailing edge.

Suitable *strutstfi (see Fig. 6-) :or other means may be provided to secure the folding" trailing edge in the raised position whilst the wing is being folded.

back or openedout;

-My' improved construction and arrangement,

of aeroplane wing andspar is particularly adapted" for use .inconnection with the. cantilever type of wings for mono-planes v and is v so arranged that form fixed parts of the spars. The invention may however, be employed in connection with.

bi-planes or aeroplanes having more than two planes and if desired suitable inter-connecting struts and bracing or other external bracing may the bolts through the flanges, such flanges prefer- 7 ably being formed at corners of the frame work of the fuselage as shown in Fig. 1 as regards the,

: lower members I and 3. Where such flanges are I not at corners as shown with the upper member 2 it is prepared to diagonally'strut such flanges with others as indicated by the struts 35 in Fig. 1.

The members la, 2a and3a of the stub section l4 may as shown in Fig. 8 pass parallel to each as in the longitudinal direction of the wings the j members i, 2 and 3 can assure various angular relationships as shown in Figs. 11, 12 and 13 whilst thesame method of strutting maybe employed as shown. Wherethe stub end of a wing has a streamline merge into the fuselagebody as Y indicated bythe arcuate lines 36 in Figs. 9 and 10 the members Ia, 2a and 311 can extend parallel with each other across the fuselage frameand' one or more of them as for example la and 311 as I shown in Fig. 9 can extend beyond the sides of the fuselage in the same parallel planes, the remainder as at 2a and extensions 2b suitably ini firmlysecured against the rear face of the triangular spar. Any suitable locking m'eansmay be provided to'securethe framework ofthis por- 4o it is possible to-dispensewith all bracing to the wing spar other than the struts'and stays which other straight across the fuselage. When the configuration of the wings demand various tapers the fuselage as indi catedettlc, 2c m me "opposed ends of these relativelyeinclin d I I of the sparelements l,z;2 :a;nd;3 andrthe staminments can be; hinged together as JPIWiQuSIY sic-.1 scribed by suitably inclining the forks-mend v I 9 of the hinges relatively-gm their plugsto'main taintheiorks analugs-mpa ue pl aqes' m g 1;. A1 isper wsti'uctur'e.compfiS1n*:three w centre istub section tubulanmetal 1 members 1S8:

I cured:a ross;the:,fmme;;of h fuselasep ml with each ;other, Seatizg accommodation 111113116. 'speee between theieaisl tubularjmembem, a .11111 an u a sec o e-spar on ted t0 each end 1 l; i S bu c ion, fbtubular Struts Q. A .spaz for an aeroplane winggeo gene of ofststruts secured at intervals along V y ,tlie lengthoffthespapgeach setof'stmts' being 'ftrialngl'e round the three faces'of the spar with the [ends'of theflst'x ut s tsubstantielly normal tothe "longitudinal mem er a, plurality of; Substantia ly :paif llel pdiagona ll Stjays'et each "of. the spar secure across adjacent striute at jthef diagonally oppqsite junctions of fsaidzadjacent stmtsto said arm gedgso th at it forms aisubs taintially closed y-ljongitudina'l' members, flattened. ends, to said enomen bosalikeenlargement .rjtened endstoeaiqs utsytllbularlining members fitted eti mr ii el hetubularzsmrmm here, bossglike enla ljgements on said lining Pw vt q h t de ds O t msaid."

4 i rub e dex u e ea d' 1 mm wid dsg se Ti i e ru l h k bu erz emb r prising three longitudinal l tubula rj me mbers et-,

" nds in thei 'a d i n imidmel meme-as;

the iszne im ef t heise d u e nd's s w th aid lqmziwdinelmember engi nut e enl rgememe fmside'isaidglqneitu4 .naI members. mm whieh said,

161' a r e ene wi emprising ongitudineltubulanmemberslarrezjgeo V t pr vide ,a; a eu1arf efi n a se. erie of,

oef tubular s t sew atwmtervals .alqn e the length-oi the kspen each set r said 'strutsbe- '10 nziat an dso that it fo m a s b t n ally c osed Y1 r n le he h' e a e vl' the-S w th; e e he ends efthe shirtszsub t n afl y ne l oeaid' arlonsitudina membeisea'p ra i pf $11.10-v s antw ly m e 1 v d a on l u pet. ta s at each ,t V. p e a didi ent struts h said tubular lon tudina andtubli r m s fit datainte r hva 's ".ixisi deei idjtubule! n i ina xm s. :1" aid 1 i n members;

"memb s. end 0. saiditubulaii'; struts gsaidfiittefieiendsvofisaiq struts.and V 4 stays; nuts thl eaded on 'tjo said studs securing] d stays t a 9ne tudina1t hu -,4.-- In a aeroplane'win assembly a main-,spar pf twosetsv of three longitudinal :tubulaximembers arranged toaobtairi a, triangular section, ifiWlOiOfflflid members beinglocated one substantially immediately above the other'aind in rear fth ema nin l ubu an m m a .cor I respond-mew a rane d set'jo h e tu ular mem.- bers: secured ltl ensversely .,a eross thefuselage main tubul r membersjextendinggin 'oontinuity with the saidtmhsversemembers of the fuselage,

- the. said-rear" pair s of sadid main Iniembers "being hinged tothe corresponding pair of the transverse membe1fsof the fuselage] I v v 7 JAMES 

